Mr Shunichi Sugioka, Chairman of Hankyu Department Store, honoured by HM The Queen
In recognition of his contribution to commercial and cultural relations between the UK and Japan, Tim Hitchens, the British Ambassador to Japan, conducted an investiture ceremony for Mr Shunichi Sugioka at the British Embassy Tokyo on 21 November.
Mr Shunichi Sugioka and Tim Hitchens, British Ambassador to Japan
Under Mr Sugioka’s chairmanship, Hankyu Department Store’s annual British Fair has helped hundreds of British companies introduce their products to Japanese consumers over the last 40 years and continues to provide valuable promotional profile for British goods in Japan.
Mr Sugioka has also played an important role in promoting cultural and educational links between the United Kingdom and Japan as President of the Kansai Japan-British Society. For many years, Hankyu Department Store has generously provided secretariat functions for the Society’s Kansai chapter and H2O Retailing, a member company of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group, has brought the UK’s commitment to preservation of landscape and cultural heritage to the attention of a wide Japanese audience through its advocacy of the National Trust.